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My wild ass theories on why you are rejected for jobs

I have wild ass theories
on why you may be getting rejected for jobs that have no basis in
proof. What do you think of my thoughts and the fixes that I suggest? What wild
ass theories do you have about job search? Share them by leaving a comment! Kathy

If recruiters don't know how to pronounce your name,
they won't call you.

THE FIX: Add
the correct pronunciation or an easier-to-pronounce nickname in parentheses
after your name. Examples: Lyubuv ("Loo-buv") or Lyubuv (Lou).

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Adding your full address with zip code into your
resume will cause some employers to reject you because they know that you live
far away from their office.

THE FIX:
Just include your major city name/state for your address ... and YOU decide if
you want to make the drive; NOT them. Doing so also helps guard against
identity theft of your address.

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If your name is foreign sounding, they won't call you
because they don't want to deal with immigration paperwork.

THE FIX: Say
(honestly) that you are a US citizen or explain your job status, such as “permanent
U.S. resident” near the top of your resume.

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Job duties that are too brief on your resume (like just
"Provided massage therapy") sounds like you are a low-level/low pay
employee.

Using fancy paper, designs and colors on your resume
makes you look old fashioned.

THE FIX: Put more effort on scoring
high for online application systems (which are used by the vast majority of
employers) than on making your resume look pretty. You will score high on
online application systems if you include the skills, job titles and job duties
that match the job.

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Showing up in person to submit your resume makes the
employer think you don’t know how to use a computer to apply for jobs.

THE FIX: Apply
online as instructed and THEN drop off your resume and cover letter. Indicate in
your cover letter that the resume is a duplicate because you already applied
for the job online, but that you were so interested in the position; you wanted
to stop by in person.

ALTERNATE FIX: Don't show up ... it creeps some companies out! Instead, send a targeted message to your probable boss (the hiring manager) and let him/her know that you applied online as instructed, but were so well matched to the job that you wanted to reach out directly. Explain why you are the best candidate.

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Saying that you will move to another city if they hire
you doesn’t work. Employers don’t
trust that you will actually make the move and don’t want to pay for relocation.

THE FIX: Use
that target city/name on your resume rather than your own city and then when
interview time comes, either request a Skype interview or hustle your rear end
to the city for the interview. Get them to like you first and then let them
know that you will be moving for the job.

ALTERNATIVE FIX: Put the date that you will be moving to the city. Example: “Austin, TX
as of 10/15/2017” (even if you don’t actually know the exact date that you will
be moving).

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Employers won’t hire you because of your
taste in fashion or cologne.

THE FIX:
Wear something business appropriate, but bland so that nothing in your attire
stands out to turn off the interviewer. I’ve known people who didn’t get hired
because they wore: 1) a bow tie, 2) gold nail polish, 3) a too-cutesy
barrette, 4) a scary shade of red lipstick, 5) pantyhose that looked “too nude” (the interviewer thought she was bare-legged), 6) strong-smelling
aftershave … I could go on and on with examples … but the bottom line: Tone it
down!

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Interviewers are turned off by your mannerisms. I’ve heard of people being rejected because they: 1) constantly cleared their throat or made sniffing noises, 2) blinked excessively, 3) invaded the interviewer’s personal space by
leaning in too close, 4) had a weak, wet handshake, 5) repeated “ums”
or certain words way too many times. 6) either continually stared too
intently at the interviewer’s eyes or never made eye contact (either is
distracting).

THE FIX: If you notice that interviewers
lean back away from you, stop making eye contact, or yawn, fidget, look bored, or show signs of
irritation, STOP talking or doing a mannerism that you’ve ascertained is
annoying. Ask trusted friends if you have mannerisms that are off-putting and
then work to correct the problem for future interviews.

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Don’t let easily fixable issues keep you from getting a job! Take advantage of the fixes shared above, as well as WiserU training and services to improve your job chances! -- Kathy

The unemployed and miserably employed hire WiserU for career coaching, interview preparation, and LinkedIn profile and resume creation services. Learn more at wiseru.com/services/

Businesses contract with WiserU to establish and maintain their powerful LinkedIn presence and to train employees to maximize LinkedIn for sales, recruiting, fundraising, or marketing. Learn more at wiseru.com/linkedinbusinessservices/